ESPN 2026 recruiting rankings
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 12:47 pm
https://www.espn.com/college-football/r ... ms-schools
"61. App State Mountaineers
Previous ranking: 62
SC Next 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: TE Jamel Howse
Top defensive prospect: LB Michael McClenton
Appalachian State won at least six conference games in each of its first eight seasons in the Sun Belt after joining in 2014, but the Mountaineers have fallen on harder times recently, failing to crack .500 within the league in three of the last four seasons. Their 2026 class is a deep group that is well positioned to help Dowell Loggains turn that around.
Landing Jamel Howse, the No. 170 player in the class, after the South Carolina native decommitted from the in-state Gamecocks in October is a huge development for App State, which had never reeled in an ESPN SC Next 300 recruit. He'd be just the second four-star to sign with the Mountaineers out of high school since 2006. Howse has great size at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and slick footwork for his size. On defense, Michael McClenton is a thickly built and physical presence at linebacker with good burst and instincts."
"61. App State Mountaineers
Previous ranking: 62
SC Next 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: TE Jamel Howse
Top defensive prospect: LB Michael McClenton
Appalachian State won at least six conference games in each of its first eight seasons in the Sun Belt after joining in 2014, but the Mountaineers have fallen on harder times recently, failing to crack .500 within the league in three of the last four seasons. Their 2026 class is a deep group that is well positioned to help Dowell Loggains turn that around.
Landing Jamel Howse, the No. 170 player in the class, after the South Carolina native decommitted from the in-state Gamecocks in October is a huge development for App State, which had never reeled in an ESPN SC Next 300 recruit. He'd be just the second four-star to sign with the Mountaineers out of high school since 2006. Howse has great size at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and slick footwork for his size. On defense, Michael McClenton is a thickly built and physical presence at linebacker with good burst and instincts."
